1:17 PM,
Dec. 5, 2012

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The Napa Valley is a special place for me because it's the first wine region I ever visited, and it's where my husband and I fell in love. But when some people talk about visiting the valley, they often use words like pretentious, touristy and overpriced. True, tasting rooms can be crowded with people willing to pay a lot for Napa's prestigious wines, especially its renowned cabernet sauvignon, but the valley's reputation among some is hardly fair.

During a trip to Napa Valley earlier this fall, I had the opposite experience. I've always been impressed by the quality of the wine produced in the ...